07 FEB - Traveling with Ed-W1EJ to Mount Vaca to attempt a digital activation. Plan is to operate FT8 with WSJT-X and RTTY, and PSK31 using the native capabilities of my KX3. Will likely also use my HT for 146.52-FM, and perhaps my SG-Lab transverter for 1.2Ghz.
Also possible that I may operate on HF-CW. Weather has been quite cool and frozen fingers will likely determine how long we stay on the summit. You can follow us on APRS AA0BV-4.
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I will try for 30m FT8 S2S with you.
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I’ll try RTTY or PSK31 if you get on a low enough frequency
so I can hear you ! It’s only about 60 miles…
73
John, K6YK
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Thanks John - I feel good about 40M and maybe 80M if I can get the antenna to work.
PSK31 - 7.080150 - 3.580150
RTTY - 7.083 - 3.590
Will try 10.136 MHz FT8.
Gotcha on 30 FT8. Saw other regular chasers working you as well. Thanks for the FT8 QSO!
-J
Tried you a few times, but it didn’t work out. Too close to me! Also, there were 2-3 stations transmitting over you.
We could have easily had a QSO Rex. I was hearing you here +4dB. Good sigs on 30. I was running 25 watts.
Oh wow!
Now if I could just get my friend, K7BR, on the air! I’m always telling him we can make contact easily, even with his FT-817.
73,
Rex KE6MT
Thanks Joe for FT8 contact on 30m. Not much of a distance between us as I was sitting on top of Mt Diablo (keeping my 100% unique streak - so not activating). Obviously we were booming into each other 
This FT8 on peaks is great - might renew my interest after a year of foregoing it. While was there got myself a new DX
Many thanks for all my chasers today, especially the FT8 chasers. This was the first time I took digital to a summit and it was a success.
Lessons learned -
–Using a computer for an activation would be easier on a shady summit.
–I started with a fully charged 4.5Ahr battery for the KX3 and only ran 2 watts but the battery did not last for the complete activation-I switched to the KX2 battery when I switched to CW.
–the KXPA100 was a champ - 2W in got 80W out and the 15Ahr battery lasted for the entire activation
–I prelabeled the cables to connect the KX3, SignaLink, and KXPA100 - but even so it took significant extra time to set up.
–Used a 53’ end fed wire with an unun - KXPA100 tuner worked perfectly - but 53" is longer than I usually set up and that took some extra time.
Biggest lesson learned - FT8 from a summit is great fun - and worth the additional time to set up.
Next time I will try RTTY and PSK31 before beginning FT8.
Again, many, many thanks to my chasers!!
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If you were in the AZ I could log this as a S2S. I don’t think you have to be activating to make it an S2S.
I saw you calling me and tried to return your call.
I was in AZ - right on top of it. So, yes - if it is acceptable, go ahead and log it as S2S (W6/CC-045). I was on battery power and away from the car
You could log it as just a chaser qso too Dmitry, especially if you need it for a complete.